Lost Time
by Blood-Sucker-1428
Summary: A few days have passed since Kira's defeat and near finds himself at a Japanese cemetery thinking about all those who have left him. L, Mello, Matt, even Mr. Wammy.


**Disclaimer: Clearly I don't own Death Note. I wouldn't be writing fan fiction if I did. Death Note belongs to Ohba and Obata. I'm just an adoring fan.**

**Author's Note: Me? Do a one shot? Usually no, as I have an issue of not being able to stop writing when I start. This occasion however, yes. I DID A ONESHOT! So, not only is this my first Death Note one shot, but this is my first one shot in a very, very long time. I hope you guys like it because I had fun writing it. Those of you who are reading my multi-chap DN fan fic – it will be updated soon, I just needed to reinvigorate my writing skills after that epic chess game of epicness last chapter drained them…. Any way, read, review, and enjoy :)… Please review…**

**Lost Time: A Death Note Fan Fiction – By Blood-Sucker-1428**

* * *

><p>It was very cold that day, and so it should be, after all it was early February and Japan was in the Northern Hemisphere, but that wasn't justification enough for why it felt so cold. If Near was religious he would suppose it was the feeling of death and despair within the cemetery which made it feel all so much colder. Perhaps he should start believing in the unseen more, given that he had seen shinigami and witnessed the power of their murder notebook. That weapon of death was the reason he now stood in this cemetery.<p>

* * *

><p>A few days after the defeat of Kira, and a few more days before he had to depart from Japan, Near, the newest "L" had given a call to Aizawa of the NPA.<p>

"L?" He had asked. The surprise vividly obvious in his voice. "Is something wrong? Did you discover something else about the notebook?"

"No, nothing is wrong." Near held the phone with one had and twirled his hair with the other. "I simply have an enquiry."

"Yeah, what is it?" A pause as Near took in a deep breath in preparation.

"When Mr. Wammy and my predecessor, by whom I mean the original holder of the title "L", fell victim to the death note did you give them a proper burial?" He could hear Aizawa's chair squeak loudly as the man leaned back in his chair.

"Yeah." Another pause.

"Would you please tell me where they remain?"

"Sure, I can take you if you want."

"That's unnecessary, I only ask as I have arrangements to make." Near stopped twirling his hair and looked over to finger puppets he decided to keep after the confrontation with Light, and the two new ones he had made most recently.

* * *

><p>So here he was at the quiet Japanese cemetery, coat blowing in the wind, finger puppets on his hand, staring at two older graves and two new ones. It had been a long time since Near had felt emotions so vividly so he had trouble identifying what he now felt. It was a very similar feeling to that which he experience before he arrived at Wammy's House – though perhaps now it felt stronger after being so young when his parent's passed and for being so numb for so long.<p>

Wammy's House.

His black eyes so similar to he who came before Near, drifted over to the only grave with a name on it.

_Quillish Wammy_

Near tilted his head to the side and fought the sad smile trying to appear on his face as he read and reread the name on the stone.

"Watari," He spoke softly to grave. "I should thank you." After all, if it weren't for Wammy's House who knows what would have happened to Near. He may have been adopted, or maybe just thrown from foster home to foster home – people not being able to deal with such a strange kid – and therefore never reaching his potential. At Wammy's not only did he have access to all the resources and puzzles he could ever want, but he had also met the only people who could ever come close to understanding him or meaning something to him.

He scoffed as he looked over to the new graves. Mello, Mello, Mello. The boy had been jealous of Near from the moment he arrived. Was it because Near was now number one or because Near being number one meant that Mello had to share L. Not the position "L", but L. The emotional blonde had yelled at and threatened Near on many, many occasions, and in return Near showed Mello indifference. What was curious to Near was that no one else was allowed to pick on him except for Mello, and if Mello received word from L, or Roger, or Mr. Wammy, to do something for or with Near he protested but he did it. When you had no friends to compare this to, Mello almost felt like a friend.

"Your sacrifice was not in vein. I couldn't have done this without you, Mello."

Mello's body was unrecoverable after the fire so this grave did not contain the remains of Mihael Keehl, rather it was just a memorial stone. Near had wanted to show his appreciation to Mello in some way and what better way then to honour his memory here, with the man he had tried so hard to gain respect from, to surpass.

Matt's body, however was unrecoverable for other reasons. Neither Matt, nor Near, had real identities as far as the government was concerned, so Near couldn't go claim the bullet riddled body. Both of them being orphans may have complicated the procedure too. Therefore the unmarked grave next to Mello's was that of Mail Jeevas.

Near didn't associate with Matt often. He did however know that Matt was ranked third to be "L" and was Mello's best friend. His rock. The one who kept him stable. He had heard Matt tell Mello on many occasions during their childhood to give Near a break. He also managed to make Mello laugh and smile – not just anyone could do that. Whenever Near and Matt crossed paths in the orphanage and Matt's attention wasn't focused on a videogame or Mello they had been pleasant to each other. Matt never wanted to be "L" and he was never going to be. In the end he did what he was always suppose to do, he kept an eye on Mello.

"None of us meant for you to be brought into this Matt, but thank you."

Funny, all these people brought together because of one man, one man who was taken away from them all too soon.

Near's attention now rested solely on the cross that lay between Watari and Mello.

"L." He whispered – careful not to let his voice shake.

Whenever people asked, Near said that he only ever met L once. He was both lying and being honest. He had only met L under the guise of "the worlds greatest detective" once with the rest of the orphans over a computer. He, Mello, and Matt, had met the man as he was on many occasions. He was more to Near and his fellow successors than just their idol, someone they looked up to. No, he was someone who checked up on them whenever he was around, he gave them gifts, he played toys and games with them, he told them stories. He was everything.

And Light Yagami had taken everything away from them.

Light Yagami was the reason they had been left alone. He was the reason Mello ran away and joined the mafia, to be followed by Matt a few years later. He was the reason they all dedicated themselves to restoring L's honour and gaining back what was rightfully their's. No, not their's, but their's to safeguard. He was the reason Near was so alone now, with not even one person from the House to mourn with him.

"I restored your pride." Near's soft voice came. He paused and half smiled. "Actually, we all restored your pride." He wanted to reach out and touch the stone cross but thought better of it. "Light Yagami is no more and the notebooks are disposed of. I think you would be satisfied."

He looked down at his right hand through now glassy vision, wiggling his fingers to make the puppets move.

"I had intended to leave my puppets here." The shaking in his voice was the weather – those trained at Wammy's, besides Mello, did not get emotional. Really. "But I think I'll take them with me. I'd like to remember you all and I don't know when work will bring me back to this region of Japan."

"Near." Commander Rester's voice came from behind Near. Near sniffed. He wiped his eyes with his puppet free hand to clear them before turning around to face Rester who stood behind him with a coat and a scarf on. In one hand Rester had his brief case, in another he had a backpack.

"Yes Rester, what is it?" The shake in his voice was now gone and his face blank – a perfect Wammy's House mask.

"We have to leave for the airport soon if you wanted to make it to Washington on time." Near's charcoal eyes flickered over to the graves before returning to Rester. He nodded quietly.

"Yes thank you, Rester. One moment." Rester's concerned looking eyes searched Near's for any sign of emotion before nodding and walking back to where he had been waiting. Near waited until he was far enough away before turning back around to the graves.

Here they all were, everyone from Near's childhood who had ever made a real lasting impression on him. Not all of them got along, and not all of them could always be around, but they were all each other had. All of them had been alone at some point in their lives until they found each other. It wasn't much but this makeshift dysfunctional family was a better family then anything any one of the boy's could have been adopted into.

And now Near was alone again.

He had nothing but his memories.

Memories of those taken before their lifespans reached zero.

Memories of a childhood that could have been better but could have been worse.

Near close his eyes and let out a shaky breath.

He would continue on the legacy of "L"., not just for L, but for those who died for his memory also.

One last look at the stone cross that stood above the other graves and Near turned around, walking back to Rester.

"Before we go, Commander." Near began, grabbing the commander's attention. "I would like to stop and buy some chocolate."

"Chocolate?" The commander asked, looking down at the white haired boy who he now walked side by side with.

"Yes. And if it's possible I'd like sone some strawberry shortcake also." The commander stifled a laugh.

"If you want, Near." Near nodded in satisfaction. Rester handed the young man his backpack. Near opened it the bag and pulled out a Nintendo DS with a crossword cartridge inside it. Rester eyed Near as he blew on his hands and rubbed them together. "We should get some coffee if we're stopping." He added.

"I'd rather tea, Commander Rester."

A pause.

"Is everything all right, Near?"

Near's face filled up with a smile as he looked up to Rester.

"Just making up for lost time."

**Author's Note: REVIEW PLEASE! :)**


End file.
